University Life
by Arigatomina
Summary: Yaoi, AU, OishixEiji, other pairings. When Eiji enters a small university he finds himself with some interesting friends, and a very interesting roommate.
1. Moving Day

Author's Notes: I can't write tennis fics, I've no aptitude for sports of any kind, and I don't know enough about the details to feel confident writing fics for an anime that revolves around tennis matches. But I love the characters. So, this is an attempt to bring those characters into an environment that I *do* know, college. There will still be tennis as a sidenote, but not so professional or longterm goal-oriented. This will be set in the US since I don't know enough about Japanese colleges, and the families and backgrounds of the characters will be adjusted to fit the fic since I don't know their personal histories. The japanese word usage will also be toned down for the most part. And, just as an early warning, the rating of this fic is guaranteed to climb as it progresses.  
  
Category: Anime, Prince of Tennis, Yaoi, AU (Alternate Universe)  
  
Warnings: none yet, eventually it will hit lemon/lime content  
  
Pairings: Eiji+Oishi, Tezuka+Oishi, Taka+Fuji, will be OishixEiji, MomoxRyoma, InuixKaidoh, possible Tezuka+Fuji  
  
Author: Arigatomina  
  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
  
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
  
University Life  
  
Part 1: Moving Day  
  
The little campus definitely needed a longer check-in period. The cars were backed up for what seemed like miles. At least, it appeared to take forever to the over-excited teen whose face was nearly plastered to the passenger window. They'd spent the last four hours driving and they were finally at the rural campus. And now, just when he was ready to get out there and move into his own place, they were stuck in a traffic jam. Eiji sighed for the fifth time in the last three minutes. "They need more roads."  
  
"That's what you get for picking a college out in the country," his sister commented, her eyes glinting over at the pouting redhead. "I still don't see why you want to go to school all the way out here."  
  
"Because," Eiji said, holding a finger up, his head tilted to the side, "I'm an adult now and I need to leave the nest. Besides, I always wanted to get out of the city. Look! They even have trees!"  
  
The boy had turned away to stare at the cluster of trees that lined the winding road they were currently creeping along. She knew the wood was really just a clump left from where they placed the college housing, but Eiji's eyes were as bright as if they were a national forest. "If you wanted trees, you could have moved into an apartment next to the park. And since when were you a nature person?"  
  
"Eh?" Eiji blinked, glancing over at her for a second before darting his gaze back to the pile of leaves in one of the trees across from them. It looked like a nest, a really big one, and he grinned. "I could climb that one, easy."  
  
"And make a fool of yourself. That's a great way to make a first impression. Your roommates are going to think you're some kind of weirdo."  
  
"No they won't!" Eiji denied, his dark blue eyes wide with hurt. "That's so mean! I'm not weird, I'm just excited. I bet everyone's excited on their first day."  
  
"Maybe, but not everyone would be scouting trees to climb." A quick sideways glance found Eiji's lips curving into a pout and she smirked at him. "Just don't do anything too strange. You don't want people picking on you."  
  
"No one's going to pick on me. Don't worry so much." A hand moved away from the steering wheel to pat his head, and Eiji swatted it playfully, ducking against the door. "You'll mess my hair!"  
  
"You should have cut it," his sister smiled, giving the car a bit of gas as they moved forward a few more feet before waiting again. "If it gets any longer you're going to look like a girl."  
  
"You're just jealous because my hair's thicker than yours," Eiji said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Still, I can't imagine what your roommates are going to think about you."  
  
"You worry too much." Glancing ahead of them, Eiji shifted restlessly, rubbing a finger over the small bandage on his right cheek. "Why is it taking so long? We just have to get a parking spot and find the Residence Life building. How hard can that be? Country people drive too slow."  
  
"You're one to talk. You don't even have a car." A quick glare hit her and she smiled, reaching a hand out to pat his head again. He ducked away, nearly smacking his forehead on the dash and she let out a small laugh. "Poor thing."  
  
"I'll have you know the first thing I'm going to do is get a job on campus and then I'll have a car - better than yours!" An eyebrow rose on the skeptical face beside him, and Eiji deflated, falling slack against the seat in defeat. "Okay...maybe not better, but it'll be blue!"  
  
"Tan is practical. Besides, you don't want to worry about saving up for a car. You'll be so busy studying you won't have time for anything else. And you know mom would buy you a car if you'd just pass the driving test." That was a subject best left alone, and she regretted breaching it the moment the words left her lips. She didn't have to look to feel the grumpiness that permeated the air. "Sorry."  
  
"It's just not fair," Eiji muttered, folding his arms over his chest and ducking his chin. "I have better reflexes than half those supposed teachers. So I forgot to adjust the mirror - big deal! It's not like I can't just turn my head and look, that's what necks are for!"  
  
"Mm-hm, and not stopping at the red light?"  
  
"It was yellow! It was! Yellow, I'm going through, and then it's red and what? I'm supposed to stop and back up? Of course not, I kept going."  
  
"Eiji."  
  
"Hmm?" His sister was pointing toward the front of the car and he blinked, a big smile breaking over his face. "Two more, only two more to go! I'll be so glad to get out of this car, it smells like vanilla."  
  
"Since when do you dislike vanilla?" his sister drawled, giving him a small frown.  
  
"Since I've been stuck smelling it for hours," Eiji pouted, shifting just a little bit to put more distance between them. "And you wouldn't let me put down the windows..."  
  
"I have the airconditioner on," she reminded him, shaking her head. "And you'll be smelling this town for four years, you'll have more than enough time to breathe it in."  
  
"I bet it smells great so long as there aren't any cows around," Eiji said, glancing back to the trees. They'd given way to a small stretch of grass behind the first row of apartments on each side of the road, but he could still see them. The forest had obviously been cleared back for the brick apartment buildings and parkinglots, but he'd seen a long stretch of the woods when they came up the highway. After the last gas station there was nothing but woods on either side for what had to be a mile. He couldn't wait to see what sort of animals they had out here. Comparing a real forest to the park a few blocks from their own home was just wrong. This was the country. "It's going to be so fun..."  
  
"What?" Startled blue eyes flicked to her, and she shrugged. "There's the reason for the hold up," she said, nodding to the person who'd stopped the car in front of them. There were signs telling where to park according to the areas of housing, but obviously that wasn't enough. "They must have limited parking."  
  
"It's a small campus," Eiji said, his tone quieting abit. Now that they were right alongside the apartments he could see the cluster to their right had the label O'Daniel South on the little sign next to the road. And there were so many people carrying things into the rows of buildings that it looked horribly crowded. He hadn't expected to see so many students. "I guess most freshmen live in that section."  
  
"Isn't that why you picked it?"  
  
"No...they said it was closest to campus."  
  
Her brother was looking a bit nervous, and she sighed, shoving his shoulder. "Cheer up, college boy."  
  
"Hai!" With a big smile, Eiji straightened and locked his eyes on the woman ahead of them. She'd finished with whatever she was doing and he held his breath as the car was waved on. His sister pulled up to the intersection, rolling down his window so the woman could be heard. Eiji blinked when the lady barely looked at him, a clipboard in her hands.  
  
"Apartment section?"  
  
"O'Daniel South," Eiji answered, his eyes flicking from the clipboard to her bored expression.  
  
"Okay, find a spot over there," she said, waving to the apartments behind her, "and get your information pack from the green booth." She motioned to the small table a few feet behind her, where a number of students were waiting in line to pick up what looked like brown envelopes. "You'll have until the end of the week to turn in your apartment check sheet and to get a tag for your vehicle."  
  
His mouth opened to tell her it wasn't his car, but she had already stepped back to wave them on. He blinked and turned uncertain eyes on his sister. "Ano..."  
  
"That was quick," his sister commented, rolling up his window as she turned onto the lane to their right. "I don't see what the long wait was for if that's all she was telling people."  
  
"Maybe they asked questions or something," Eiji said, looking back to where the woman was talking to the next carload. "But I thought people in small towns were friendlier."  
  
"Ah, don't worry about it. She's probably been at that all day. Look, which building are you in? I'll try to find a space close enough to unpack from and you can walk over to get your packet."  
  
"Noble."  
  
"Noble?" Blue eyes danced merrily at her and she shook her head, turning her gaze to the white letters on the side of each building. "At least it isn't Bigger."  
  
"That's-" Eiji's eyes widened and he blinked, rubbing a finger over his nose. "I can't believe they named a building that..."  
  
"Hendrix, Wallace, Bigger, Noble! Ah, and a perfect parking spot." Pulling in under a dark pine, she turned off the engine and sighed. "And that's it. Do you want to meet the roommates first, or get your package?"  
  
"Roommates!" His sister laughed at him, but he grinned, hopping out to look around him. The parkinglot was set up in a rectangle attached to the end of the road they'd been pointed down. A grassy divider separated them from the cars and apartments opposite them, and he spotted the green-topped tent not too far away. But that could wait. He really wanted to meet the people he'd be living with. He'd made his plans so late that he hadn't gotten a chance to call his future roommates the way he'd hoped. All he knew was that there were two of them, meaning he'd have a room all to himself. He couldn't wait. "Let's go!"  
  
"Which side is it on?"  
  
"The number's 80...34A! On this side," Eiji called, rounding the building on the right side and looking at the numbers on the first door. "Lucky!"  
  
"That's nice, we got the perfect parking spot." Her brother nodded eagerly, and she stood back as he knocked on the door. He was practically dancing in place, but she couldn't help the bit of nervousness that tickled her senses. There was a sidewalk that separated Noble from Bigger, and her eyes widened on the person carrying things into the door opposite them. He looked years older than her brother, surely not a freshmen. "Are you sure freshmen pick this section?" she asked, blinking when she saw Eiji's face. "What-"  
  
"They're not home," Eiji sniffed, his shoulders slumping. "I didn't think I'd have to move in without meeting them first."  
  
"Well," she said slowly, trying to think of something that might cheer him up a little, "I'm sure they're not-" Her brother moved past her and she turned, not sure what he was looking at. "Eiji?"   
  
"Not balanced at all..."  
  
The redhead crossed the grass to the sidewalk and approached a faded brown truck parked next to her car. He nearly reached the parkinglot before she realized what he was looking at. The older boy she'd noticed had bent over the back of the truck, a large box in his arms with two bags on top of it. She winced, hurrying after her brother before he could get himself into trouble. "Eiji! Don't-" One of the blue plastic sacks slipped, the redhead moving to catch it with a bright smile.  
  
"Oi," Eiji grinned, holding the sack out to the dark-haired teen. "Need help?" Dark wide eyes snapped to him and he blinked at the threatening expression, his first thought being 'predator.' The taller youth stared at him, and he blinked, not sure what he'd done wrong but smiling anyway. "I can help you unpack if-"  
  
"No."  
  
The word came out harsh and sharp, perfectly matching the look in those dark eyes. Eiji sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, if you're sure." Silence was his answer and he frowned a little as he lifted the sack. "Here." Setting it next to the other one, he pushed the two bags up against the teen's chest, not paying any mind to the way those dark eyes widened. "So close to the edge and they'll fall again." The teen didn't move when he'd finished, and Eiji waved a hand at him. "Well, I have to go get my keys now, but if you're still here when I get back and you change your mind about needing help-"  
  
The tall menacing looking youth stepped past the redhead without a word, not so much as glancing at the older girl who'd frozen next to the sidewalk. She winced again, grabbing Eiji's arm. "I don't see how I can leave you here by yourself," she whispered, dragging the boy when he seemed to be stuck staring after the rude teen. "Let's just get you in that apartment with the door locked. Oh...what am I going to tell mom about your neighbors...?"  
  
"You think I said something wrong?" Eiji murmured, glancing over his shoulder as he let himself be drug across the parkinglot and in the direction of the green-topped booth. "I think he was surprised...but he could have been mad. Do you think he was mad that I offered to help him?" His sister had a hand over her face and he halted, pulling on her grip. "What?"  
  
"Eiji..." A glance found the boy visibly confused and she sighed, tugging him into motion again. "You can't just go up to strange, violent-looking people like that. I know you want to make friends with every person you meet, but no one knows you here. Wait till you get to your classes. Accosting strangers is the best way to get in trouble."  
  
"Accosting?!" Eiji's face twisted in insulted disbelief. "I was just trying to help! And he needed help. Did you see how his arms were flexed? That box had to be heavy. There was no way he could have gotten the bag without setting it down, and then he'd just-"  
  
"I know, Eiji, I know. You were being your normal sweet self, but just be careful, okay? You don't have any friends here, no one to watch you."  
  
"I don't need anyone to watch me," Eiji sniffed, taking one more glance over his shoulder before setting his sights on the booth. "And I'll make friends, you'll see."   
  
They reached the line of students and he looked over the people ahead of him. He saw at least one who was accompanied by an old couple, grandparents maybe, and others with what looked to be their parents. And they all seemed as excited as he'd been. If his sister hadn't ruined his mood with her worried criticism of his friend-making skills he would have tried talking to one of them. But that could wait. She worried too much. He didn't really want to give her any horror stories to take home when she left. He could just imagine what she already had stored to tell his mother. The line moved faster than the cars had, and he smiled at the tall seated teen who was handing out envelopes.  
  
"Name?"  
  
Glancing over the boy's orange hair and kind looking eyes, Eiji smiled. "Kikumaru Eiji." The boy blinked before giving him an almost shy smile in return. He nearly grinned in reaction.  
  
After flipping through the indexed envelopes filling the large box to his left, the boy nodded. "Okay, this is your package. It has your keys, your parking tag registration, and you check-in sheet. If there's any damage to the apartment you'll want to mark it on that sheet and turn it in to your RA by the end of the week. Or you can turn it in to Residence Life." Eiji nodded and he hesitated, glancing at the boy's sister for a second before frowning a bit. "Have you been to Residence Life?"  
  
"No," Eiji said, a niggle of worry hitting him. "We just got here and the lady told us to come to this booth first thing."  
  
"Oh, yes, that's fine. But you'll want to fill out your parking information and take it over there," he pointed to his left, gesturing to a tall building down the road opposite the one they'd taken earlier. "They'll give you your tag. If you have any trouble, they can answer any questions, too."  
  
"Thanks." Taking the large envelope, Eiji smiled, cheered when the boy nodded. If there hadn't been a line behind him, he would have introduced himself. There was an open friendliness in the tall youth's face that made him reluctant to leave. Hopefully he'd catch sight of him on campus some time. His sister led the way back across the parkinglot and he opened the envelope, coming up with a small key with his apartment number on it. "Set!"  
  
"That was easy enough."  
  
"Yep," Eiji nodded, "but I still wish they were home. I hate going in when they're not."  
  
"Why? You're going to be living there, too, now. I'm sure they knew they were getting a roommate, and that you'd be moving in today."  
  
His sister paused at the car as he went on to unlock the door, and Eiji paused, glancing over at the apartment across from him. The tall dark-haired boy from earlier halted the moment their eyes met and he smiled, waving a hand at him. A scowl was his answer as the boy's head lowered and he moved back to the truck. Eiji sighed. He unlocked the door and opened it, blinking at the clean but small livingroom that met his gaze. He'd just stepped inside when his sister reached him and he took the bag she brought, giving her a chance to look around. "Kind of small, isn't it."  
  
"But it's clean..."  
  
"Yeah," Eiji sniffed, wrinkling his nose with a smile at the odd scent that filled the room. "Smells like spice or something. I like it."  
  
"You would," his sister said, rolling her eyes. There were two doors, one on either side of the livingroom, both closed. "Which room is yours?"  
  
"Don't know, but there's one way to find out." With a bit of nervous excitement at the thought of looking into his roommates' room when they weren't home, Eiji tried the door next to the large television. The doorknob didn't turn an inch. "Guess it's not this one," he said. He was relieved, but also disappointed. The quickest way to learn about people was to see their homes. But there would be plenty of time for that later. Turning resolutely, he smiled at his sister before opening the second door. And he halted in the doorway with a stumped expression. "Egh?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's not empty," Eiji said, staring at the neatly made bed facing the wall. There was a second bed by the wall next to the door that was bare, only a clear plastic case covering it. Not sure what to think, he moved into the little room, glancing to his right to see a dresser and bathroom sink. There were things on one half of the dresser, open drawers showing on the other side.  
  
"I guess you'll be sharing with one of them. You didn't sign up for a single room, did you?"  
  
"They charge more for the single rooms, but still. I thought if they were living together they would be sharing a room. Or they'd move into the same room before I got here." The older girl passed him to peak into the bathroom, a light laugh making him blink and lean in after her. "What?"  
  
"He's clean," she smiled, moving to the side so he could get into the small room. "And he likes blue."  
  
Eiji grinned, glancing over the spotless tub as he fingered the dark blue shower curtain. "Nice."  
  
"Well? They must have known you were coming. Half of the dresser's empty." She crouched, checking the bottom drawers on the right side. A quick peak into the other drawers gave a glimpse of folded clothing before she closed them quickly. "What do you think?"  
  
"It's fine," Eiji said, nodding emphatically. "Yes, this will be fine. I've never shared a room before, but I don't mind. Now! Let's get me moved in!"  
  
The boy nearly ran from the room, only pausing in the livingroom to wait for her. She gave him a mock scowl as he waved toward the front door. "Are you that anxious to get rid of me?"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
The boy's smile was so wide she couldn't help but laugh at him. Passing through the open door, she managed to run a hand over his nicely kept hair, knocking up a few ruffles out of place. "Just keep in mind that I'm going to make unnanounced visits to check up on you."  
  
"Nn, not the hair." Smoothing down his dark red hair, he moved after her, not bothering to shut the door. "It's such a long drive, you can't come down without making sure I'll be here first. You have to call first." A suspicious gaze snapped to him and he smiled innocently, leaning forward to grab at the boxes in the open trunk. "Not that I'll be doing anything that you might interrupt if you do make a surprise visit, of course. Just wouldn't want you to waste a trip."  
  
"Right." The boy seemed to be debating on what to pick up and she pushed him out of the way, lifting the large box closest to her. Eyes widening, she promptly dropped it again. "Eiji! What's in that?!"  
  
Eiji blinked, innocence flowing from his wide, dark blue eyes. "Books."  
  
"How did you get it in the car?" she demanded, bending over the thing again and groaning. "Baka! You don't put so many heavy things in one box, don't you know how to pack?"  
  
"I've never packed before," Eiji reminded her, tapping on her shoulder and motioning for her to move. She raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned, tossing his head. "And I carried it to the car, just fine." Bending over the trunk, he hefted the box, beads of sweat breaking out over his brow. "See? I got it."  
  
The boy's lips were twitching and he took a step back, tilting a little. "Eiji-"  
  
"Heh, it's fine." Holding the box close to his stomach, he took another step back so he cleared the trunk of the car. The weight was pressing, tilting, and he winced a little, fighting not to let his arms shake. "Really."  
  
"Eiji, here, let me help." Blue eyes frowned as she stretched her hands out and the redhead took a large sidestep, nearly pitching over. "Eiji, don't be so stubborn. Just--"  
  
His shoe touched the bottom of the grassy slope and his balance snapped. "Ah!"  
  
"Eiji!"  
  
He winced the moment he felt the difference, his knees bending automatically to lessen the backward impact, and he nearly bit his tongue when he bumped into something far too soon. His sister's face was white, and he blinked, tilting his head so he could look over his shoulder at the person behind him. "Ano..." Dark eyes glared at him and he could feel a trickle of sweat trail down his cheek. "G-gomen!"  
  
"Ch'."  
  
Recovering his balance, Eiji hurried to move forward, taking his weight off the teen. He could see the blatant worry in his sister's eyes, but he felt more embarrassment than anything. "Sorry about that, really. I'm not usually so-" A hissing sigh interrupted him, and his mouth fell open in surprise when the boy took the box, turning and carrying it to the open door without a word. It took him a moment to recover before he darted after him, his hands twitching. "Look! You don't have to do that, really!" He reached the doorway in time to see the dark-haired boy halt in the livingroom.  
  
"Which room?"  
  
The tone sounded more put-out than angry, and Eiji closed his mouth, pointing a finger to the open door. He didn't follow, but he heard the sound of the box being set on the plastic-covered bed. The stranger appeared seconds later, scowling face set on the door behind him. Eiji moved to block it quickly, a tentative smile flexing over his lips. "Thanks a lot," he said quickly. "That was really nice of you. My name's Eiji, Kikumaru Eiji." He started to hold out his hand, but a glance at the boy's expression made him bolder. With a disarming smile, he took the boy's right hand and shook it once.  
  
Looking down at his palm, the dark-haired boy sniffed and curled his hand. "Kaidoh."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Kaidoh. And thanks again for helping." The boy gave a sharp nod, a bit of that scowl easing into a general frown. Eiji stepped back so he wasn't blocking the door anymore and smiled when the teen moved past him. Dark brown eyes flicked back and he tilted his head questioning.  
  
"You have more?"  
  
"Ah!" Eiji winced, rubbing a hand over his temple. "You don't have to help, really. You have your own stuff to unpack, too, right?"  
  
"I'm finished," Kaidoh said, glancing away from the bright-eyed boy. "They were supplies."  
  
"Then you're not moving in?" A sharp shake of that dark head answered him and Eiji eased his smile a little. "Well, if you want, I don't mind an extra hand. My sister and I can get it, but three'll make it a lot easier." Kaidoh looked over at the girl still frozen near the open trunk and sniffed. "And I packed things a little wrong," Eiji added. "I've never moved before." The teen left him, heading for the car, and he hurried to join him. He was definitely going to have to introduce him to his sister or she'd probably stay frozen to that spot indefinitely. With a quick smile at having gained his first name at the college, he joined the two next to the car.  
  
* * *  
  
TBC  
  
--notes--  
  
Roommates are next, and if anyone knows Eiji's sister's name, it would be very useful. ^_^; 


	2. Tennis Players

Category: Anime, Prince of Tennis (PoT), Yaoi, AU 

Warnings: slight shonen ai

Pairings: will be OishixEiji, MomoxRyoma, InuixKaidoh, possible TezukaxFuji

Author: Arigatomina

Email: Archive: Life

Part 2: Tennis Players

By the time the heaviest boxes had been carried in, Eiji was ready to flop on the couch and take a long nap. The sun was too bright, too hot, and his hair was starting to stick to his temples, something he absolutely hated. His sister looked fine, but he'd demanded to be allowed to carry his share of the heavier loads. He'd had to. One look at Kaidoh's sweat-free, uncomplaining face had him jumping to prove to his doubting sister that he could carry just as much. Of course, he didn't mention that it had taken him five times as long to load the car as it took to unload it. And he was too busy thinking to complain about the heat, or the fact that he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt compared to his sister's loose button up and Kaidoh's teeshirt. He was trying to figure out what to do with his new friend once he got rid of his sister.

If the teen had looked at all worn out he'd have thought of offering a drink or something. But he didn't think that would work. He was fairly sure the silent boy would disappear back to his apartment the moment the last of the bags was carried in. He could always take his sister up on her offer of lunch and try dragging the teen along, but that didn't look like it would work, either. She'd stopped looking at the dark-haired boy as if he were going to snap around and bite her, but she still seemed to be skirting him when they passed each other. If Kaidoh wasn't pointedly ignoring both of them, Eiji would have been embarrassed by her continued wariness. The taller boy really didn't seem very friendly for someone going out of his way to be nice. He about had Eiji stumped.

He tried starting a conversation once they got to the light bags of groceries and such. A single question established Kaidoh was a Sophomore, and that they were both undecided on their majors. But that conversation ended quickly when the older boy walked away from him midsentence. A glance found his sister's eyes telling him how rude the teen was, but he shrugged it off. Some people were annoyed by chatter, that was all. He really wanted to figure the guy out and fast, if only he knew where to start.

Kaidoh was strong, that much he knew. And he'd said he was unloading supplies, so maybe he lifted weights or something. Or he could be in sports, he certainly had the build. But it was going to be pretty hard finding a subject to talk about when the teen was doing such a good job ignoring him. If he pushed too hard, he'd run him off before his sister left. And that would leave him alone to wait for the roommates to come home, something he didn't particularly want.

They were getting very close to the end of the unpacking, and Eiji sighed as he carried in a load of sacks, Kaidoh passing him at the doorway without so much as looking up. It was just so hard being careful, he wasn't used to it. At home he'd said whatever he felt like, and his friends had never complained, let alone walked away on him. It was almost depressing.

They'd piled up the bed first, then the livingroom floor, so he set the bags on the circular table in the part of the kitchen that was open to the carpeted area. At least he'd be able to keep occupied unpacking after his sister left. He did so hate being bored. Not really thinking about it, he opened one of the bags he'd carried, in, putting the juice and refrigerated items away. There were enough places cleared on the shelves and along the door that he'd have room for everything he'd brought. His roommates didn't seem to carry much along the lines of junk food, and everything in the refridgerator was placed neatly. Almost too neatly, now that he was in a less than cheerful mood. He liked things orderly and all, but now he was worried that they would be picky. It would be just his luck to be stuck with two guys who would find fault with everything he did and make his life miserable.

It wasn't until he wadded the now-empty sack in his suddenly tense hands that he realized what he was doing, and he wanted to smack himself. He hadn't even met his roommates yet and already he was looking for problems. Just because he'd met someone he didn't know how to talk to didn't mean he wasn't going to get along great with his roommates. Sniffing at himself, he stuffed the wadded bag into one of the still full ones, keeping it by habit. He jumped when he saw something out of the corner of his eye, a sharp sound making it past his lips. He'd bumped the trash can in his startlement, and he steadied it quickly, scowling at his sister's surprised expression. "Don't sneak up on me," he complained.

"Eiji, that--your friend, he left." Dark blue eyes widened, and she grabbed him when he started to dart past her, wincing at his abruptly upset face. "He's not home!"

"What?" Turning back slowly, Eiji couldn't help his downcast and confused expression. "Where did he go? He just left?"

"I'm sorry. I got the last few bags and told him that was it and he just turned around and went into his apartment. Then he came back out with a towel on his shoulders and left. I think he was going running or something. At least, that's what it looked like."

"Oh." With a scowl at the brown carpet, he scuffed a shoe over it. "I guess I can thank him when he comes back." He blinked slowly, a smile easing back onto his face. "It's not like he can hide, living next door and all."

"I guess," his sister said, looking at him doubtfully. "But maybe you should just leave him alone. He doesn't-"

"He went running in this heat," Eiji mused, glancing out the open door. "I figured he worked out, but that's a bit much. He probably does that all the time, though, so he was just keeping to his routine, that's all."

"You just have to think the best, don't you." Bright blue eyes blinked at her and she sighed, shaking her head as she set the bags down. "I hope you don't get your feelings hurt chasing after him. He really doesn't seem like the type to-"

"That's a great idea!" Eiji interrupted, grinning at his sister. "I can go looking for him. I can run, too. And then I won't have to worry about what to talk about, since he doesn't like talking. Thanks!"

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, but it's still a good idea. I just need to get unpacked first. But that shouldn't take too long."

The suddenly cheerful boy hugged her and she frowned, watching as he hurried toward the bags on the table. "Are you kicking me out?"

"Thanks for driving me up," Eiji smiled, tossing her a wink over his shoulder. "You know the number. But you don't have to help me unpack this stuff, I can do it."

"You rotten thing." The boy's smile disappeared, his lips curving down in a sad expression, and she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, kick me out. A four hour drive and you run me off so you can go chasing after some weird antisocial creep. That's just great, Eiji."

"He's not a creep!"

"You never think so," she shrugged. With a tired smile, she grabbed his shoulders and hugged him again, one hand jerking through his damp red hair until it stood in odd ruffs. "You're welcome, Eiji-kun." A pained groan answered her, and she sighed again, stepping back to watch him smooth the strands back down. "Mom will probably be calling this evening, so don't spend too long looking for him."

"I won't," Eiji promised, forgetting his hair to see her to the door. The parting was quick, quite easy in fact, but exactly what he'd expected and hoped for. There was no point dragging it out. That was one of the reasons he'd asked her to drive him instead of his mother, so he wouldn't have to sit for hours listening to complaints about his having chosen a school so far from home. His sister waved a hand from her car and he waved back, watching as she pulled out. Then he was alone. Minutes passed before he finally shut the door and faced his empty apartment. This was another thing he'd wanted to avoid.

Determined to get done quickly, he managed to unpack all the kitchen bags in a matter of minutes. The drawers were filled quickly as well, teaching him how much easier it was to unpack than it had been to pack all of the clothing. He didn't bother to make his bed, leaving the blankets and pillows in a stack in the corner near the window. The box of books he had no place to put, so he set it in the closet, half of which was conveniently empty. He could always dig through it if he needed anything. It was easy to fill his half of the shelf in the top of the closet, and the one above the dresser. And he simply set the bag of bathroom things under the sink. Mostly he just wanted to get the boxes out of the livingroom and off the floor in case his roommates got back before he did.

He finished in what had to be some sort of record, though he would have to really unpack some things when he got back. With a quick nod to the cleared livingroom, he headed to his bedroom. It was upon entering the now baren room that he noticed how odd it looked. The walls were white, just like the livingroom, and it had that same brown carpet. But it was the walls that made it look strange. There weren't any pictures or posters or anything. It was just bare. He hadn't really thought about walls when he'd packed, but he made up his mind to cover all that white space one way or another. It was disconcerting. A glance out the cream blinds found the sun just as bright as ever, so he dug through his newly filled drawers for something more appropriate. There was no way he'd go back out there in his stifling clothes.

A few moments of hurried changing and a quick glance in the mirror later had him ready to go. He'd switched into his loose blue and white shirt and short outfit that he'd worn when he went to the gym at home. It was a few years old, but he hadn't grown that much since he'd gotten it, and the colors were nice and bright, nothing to attract the heat like his dark shirt had done. He reached the door before he remembered his key, and he smacked a hand over his forehead. There weren't any pockets in his shorts. Luckily the key had a hole in it for a keyring, so he dug through the box he'd left on his desk until he found a long chain to hang it on. That way he wouldn't lose it, and he could still slip it off quickly enough to unlock the door without having to fumble with a clasp.

It felt strange to lock the door of what was now his apartment, but he forgot about the sensation when he looked around. He abruptly realized he didn't know where to look. He didn't know anything at all about the layout of the campus. Where did students go to run when the gym wasn't open? And where was the gym? There had to be one. Feeling completely lost, Eiji looked over the parkinglot, his eyes locking on the green-topped booth he'd gone to earlier. His eyesight was good enough to make out the light-haired boy still seated behind the table. And this time there wasn't a line. With a quick smile, he darted across the parkinglot. Stretching his legs felt nice after being cooped up in the car, and the heavy carrying had served as something of a warmup. He was practically shivering with positive energy by the time he reached the booth, waving a hand at the surprised boy who looked up at him.

"Hi!" Eiji smiled, glancing around to make sure there weren't any students coming to get packages. "I didn't get a chance to properly introduce myself earlier. I'm Eiji." Pale blue eyes blinked at him, and the teen gave a slow smile.

"Ah," the boy nodded, "Kawamura Takashi."

"It's nice to meet you," Eiji said. "I take it you've been going to school here for a while?" The teen nodded and he glanced around again. "You didn't happen to see a dark-haired guy go jogging by here a little bit ago, did you?"

Looking a little uncertain, Kawamura shook his head. "I don't think so, but it was pretty busy earlier. I could have missed him."

"Ah. Well, where do you go to run around here?" Shrugging lightly, Eiji smiled. "Do you mind me asking directions?"

"No, not at all. You can run over there," he said, gesturing to the intersection and the sidewalk that began just where they'd pulled in. "Or anywhere on campus when there aren't classes. And there's a little track in the PAC building."

Eiji smirked, tilting his head. "Where's that?"

"You go past the buildings over there," Kawamura pointed, "just after Hendrix you'll see the woods and a road that takes you down to the main campus parkinglots. The PAC is over on the left. But it's not open today." Blue eyes dimmed, and he frowned a little, glancing at the table before giving the boy a hopeful smile. "But you can jog in the woods, too, if you don't mind that. There's a path beside the road that leads to the parkinglots. It goes from the apartments to the tennis court. And there's another one on the other side of the road that'll take you down the hill, it has a few branches in a circle you could run." Eiji's eyes lit up, and he blinked when the boy abruptly leaned on the table.

"Are the tennis courts open?"

Kawamura eased back a little, blinking at the boy's expression. "There's always unlocked, but if you're there after dark security might stop by to make sure you have a student ID."

"Oh," Eiji sniffed, scowling abruptly. "I won't be able to get one of those for a few days."

"Well, so long as you're with someone who has one, you'll be okay."

"Actually," Eiji shrugged, "I was just planning to practice a little if I don't run into who I'm looking for. I don't really know anyone who plays here. And if security comes, they'll just make me get off the court, right? That's no problem."

Looking at the boy with a shy smile, Kawamura waved a hand. "If you're still down there later, I was planning to meet a friend for a match or two."

Eiji's eyes lit up again and he blinked in surprised pleasure. "You play tennis?" The orange-haired boy gave a slow nod.

"A little."

"That's cool," Eiji grinned. "I don't play much since my friends at home weren't really into it, but I wouldn't mind watching your match."

"Well," Kawamura said, looking away, "I'm not really that good."

"As long as you're having fun, that's all that matters." The boy gave him another of those shy smiles, and Eiji grinned. "I'll definitely look for you down there later." With a wave, he turned and ran back to his apartment. There really weren't as many people unpacking as there had been earlier, but a few looked up as he went by. He didn't mind, though. It wasn't like he hit anybody. Unlocking his apartment, he smiled to himself. Not only had he made two friends now, counting the one who'd run away, but one of them played tennis. And the courts were open at night, within walking distance of his apartment. He'd just found himself a guaranteed passtime. His racket was in its case where he'd stuck it, just under his bed, and he grabbed it up, tucking it under an arm. Locking his door again, he headed down the sidewalk.

The buildings were two stories, with two small starwells leaving room to cross from one to the other. Eiji followed the sidewalk down past the three apartment buildings separating him from the road Kawamura had told him about. There were steps at the foot of each stairwell, and he barely kept from jumping them. He really would rather have been running, but there were still a few students carrying things, and he didn't want to knock anyone over. He was glad he'd slowed down because the last set of steps were occupied. A light-haired girl was reclining on the black metal railing that stood on the left side of the steps. She turned toward him when he reached her, eyes glinting back over the top of dark sunglasses. He smiled as he moved to the side, meaning to pass her, but she stopped him.

"Are you a tennis player?"

Eiji blinked in surprise, turning back to really look at her. His first thought was that she looked old, at least a senior, and there was something about her slight, knowing smile that reminded him of his sister. "Sort of," he said, shrugging, "you?"

"Me?" the girl smirked, rising slowly as she shook her head. "Oh, no, I don't care much for the game. My brothers are the tennis players. I was actually waiting for one of them, but he hasn't shown up yet. You were heading for the courts, weren't you?" The redhaired boy gave a quick nod and she smiled. "Fuji Yumiko."

Smiling quickly, Eiji shook her hand. "Kikumaru Eiji."

"Well, Eiji-kun, do you mind if I join you?"

Dark blue eyes widened for a moment, and Eiji had a flash of nervousness. Was she flirting with him? Wincing, he shook his head at himself and flashed the girl a smile. "Of course not," he said quickly. "I just got here, so I haven't really been to the courts before." Looking around, he saw the 'road' Kawamura had described, a cement path leading down a steep hill before opening into a wide set of parkinglots. And to the left of that was a wooded area, a small opening in the trees marked by little wooden planks laid over a slight impression in the ground. That had to be the path. "But it should be down there, ne?"

"I wouldn't know," Yumiko smiled, shaking her head. "I haven't been to them either. I usually pick up Syusuke at his apartment, or on campus."

"Well," Eiji mused, "I guess it's better to get lost with someone than alone. But I think that's the way. I did get directions."

"That's nice," Yumiko said, following the boy when Eiji turned to cross the grass. "I always heard that guys didn't like to ask directions." Dark eyes flashed back to her and she waved the comment away. "So you're a freshman?"

"Just moved in about an hour ago," Eiji nodded. The path was packed dirt between the trees, and he tread the right side, being careful to leave room for her. "I was planning to go running, and maybe look around, then I heard about the tennis court and figured I could hit a few balls around or something."

"I see."

He'd already met one person who didn't like to talk, so Eiji glanced back, checking out the girl's expression. She was a little taller than him, definitely seemed older, but she smiled when he looked at her. She seemed nice enough. "So you don't go to school here?"

"No, but I've been told it's a good school, for being so small."

"Nn." Turning his attention back to the path, Eiji grinned suddenly. The path really wasn't very long, with a vague curve ahead of them, but he could see white and pale green through the thin brush. "There! This was the right way, the court's right up there." He would have run the rest of the way, but a quick glance at the girl's nice clothing and dressy shoes told him that wasn't such a good idea. Instead, he took to walking half-backward so he could see her. "So, you live near here? I always wanted to live in the country, that's why I picked this school."

"Country?" Raising an eyebrow at the boy's bright smile, she let out a small laugh. "I never really considered this the country, but I suppose if you're from a large city this town would seem small. I have an apartment about an hour away from here, not too close, but close enough."

"I lived in the capital," Eiji sniffed, hopping over a branch as he continued his backward movement. "It's really crowded, and there isn't any place that's as quiet as this."

The boy waved at the trees around them and she nodded. "I've been there a few times, but the freeways were nasty. I didn't care for the traffic, or the atmosphere."

"There's a lot more polution there," Eiji agreed.

"Oh, yes, but I was thinking more of the plate windows in the gas stations, and the people on the streets."

"Right," Eiji said quickly. "Guess I'm just used to that." With another look toward the path, he turned, his smile flashing back. There were matches going on, and they were almost close enough to see them now. The path ended abruptly, the line of trees giving way to a grassy field that sloped up to the court. As far as he could see, there were only two courts, each separated and surrounded by fencing. He started up the grass before he remembered, wincing a bit as he glanced back to Yumiko. "Is your brother up there?"

"He certainly is," Yumiko drawled, her eyes narrowing as she gave a slow smile. "I was afraid he'd forgotten me, but I'd hoped it wasn't because of this."

"Tennis?" Eiji asked, blinking wide eyes at her oddly worrisome expression. He couldn't tell if she were angry or happy, her eyes and smile told two different stories.

"His obsession," Yumiko nodded. "Well, he'll remember me soon enough."

The girl stepped past him and Eiji let her lead, following a few feet behind. She was headed for the court on the right side, the one facing the parkinglot, and he looked at the boys playing there. One of them was so small that he didn't look old enough to be in college yet, and the other one was wearing a simple smile that made him look like he was reading a book, rather than playing a game. The pale brown-haired boy's eyes seemed to be closed completely, but he noticed when the girl came alongside the fence, his face turning toward her. Eiji caught a bare flash of what looked like dark blue eyes before the boy's smile widened and he dropped the hand that had been ready to serve the ball.

"You forgot me again," Yumiko called, her hands on her hips.

A tall boy who'd been watching from outside the fence moved to the girl, and he glanced at Eiji for a second before frowning. "Every time they play something has to interrupt them. At this rate we'll never get to see who's better. And I swear Echizen was going to win this time."

"Saa, we weren't that far in the game," the smiling boy called, stepping toward the fence. He smiled at the girl, ducking his head a little as he moved his racket partly behind his back. "Gomen."

"I'll forgive you," Yumiko smirked, "I always do."

"Aa."

Dark eyes glanced at Eiji as the taller boy exited the court, and the redhead blinked. "Ne," the tall black-haired boy said, "Yumiko-san, who's your friend?"

Yumiko smiled when Eiji looked at her, and she intoduced the two. "Eiji-kun, this is Momoshiro Takeshi, Momo, this is Kikumaru Eiji."

"Hi," the tall boy said, lifting a hand. "Just call me Momo-chan."

With a smile, the redhead nodded. "Eiji."

"And this," Yumiko said, smiling as her brother neared them, "is Syusuke, who you'll have to get to know another time since we're now about an hour late for our lunch."

The brown-haired boy gave a guilty smile, and Eiji watched as the two siblings headed for the path he'd come down. He was startled from his view when a hand landed on his shoulder, making him jump back around.

"So," Momo said, smiling when the boy tilted his head. "You a freshman?" The redhead nodded, and he started to say something only to be interrupted.

"Momo-senpai," the short boy on the other side of the fence called, his cap hiding his expression. "Are you going to play or hit on the new guy?"

Eiji's eyes widened and he nearly laughed when the tall teen wheeled around to toss his friend a quick glare. "Who's the chibi?"

That brought a quick laugh from Momo and a vague look from the black-haired boy on the court. Patting Eiji's back again, Momo waved a hand at the court. "Echizen," he smirked, "or Ryoma-kun as the girls like to call him. They're not here today, but he's got himself quite a following from our high school."

Echizen had taken to bouncing a ball on his racket, seemingly ignoring them both, and Eiji raised an eyebrow, lowering his voice. "He's in college?" he asked, not bothering to hide his disbelief.

"He's a prodigy," Momo snorted, rolling his eyes. "Not like Fuji, but he skipped a grade to graduate when I did. Otherwise he'd still be in highschool."

"Momo-senpai doesn't like it that I graduated higher than him," the boy called, still not looking at either of them.

"Sometimes I think he followed me on purpose," Momo said, lowering his voice and sending a mock glare at the seemingly occupied boy. "Up until I graduated he was a grade below me, then he showed up here last semester. He's a cocky punk, so don't let that innocent face of his fool you."

Eiji laughed, looking over at the dark-haired boy in question. Golden brown eyes met his, and he smiled when Echizen gave a slight smirk at Momo's back. "I see."

"So," Momo said, his voice rising again as he waved toward the door to that side of the court. "You came to play, right? We can have a mock match against Echizen."

"I haven't played much doubles," Eiji said, eyeing Echizen warily. The boy was adjusting his cap with a smile that almost looked evil. He could just imagine how bad it would be to get beaten his first day by someone who looked like he should still be in grade school. Momo clapped him on the back again, and he gave the tall boy a strange look before following him to the door. "But I guess that's fine."

"It would be," Echizen commented, catching Eiji's gaze, "but he can't play doubles."

"Ignore him," Momo said sharply, frowning at the boy. "He just learned himself."

"Maybe you two should play," Eiji said, taking in the chemistry between the two boys. They looked like they spent quite a bit of time playing each other, and he had an idea his presence on the court would just put him in the line of fire.

"No, I've got a better idea," Momo sniffed. "Echizen, you go sit out. We'll play a practice match." The redhead frowned at him, but he waved a hand at the short boy. "He'd just use it as an excuse to show off."

"What?" Frowning at Momo, Echizen rolled his eyes and tossed the boy the ball. With a sniff of his own, he moved to the fence. "Doesn't want to be embarrased in front of his new friend," he murmured, his voice just loud enough to be heard by the two on the other side of the net. Momo bristled. Taking a seat against the fence, Echizen shot a knowing look over at the tall black-haired boy. "Try not to hit him with your dunk smash," he called.

Eiji turned wary eyes on the boy next to him, but decided not to ask when he saw Momo's twitching eyebrow. The teen took his place on the other side of the net and Eiji took his racket out of its case. He'd gotten the lacings tightened not too long ago, but he hadn't played with it in nearly a month. Still, he had plenty of energy bottled up. Putting his case down near Echizen, he paused for a moment, blinking at the boy's smirk. "Is he good?"

"Not too bad," Echizen shrugged, "but he uses too much power. His control over the ball needs improvement."

"Is he really liable to hit me with the ball?" Golden brown eyes sparkled at him, and Eiji straightened, a bit of sweat breaking out on his temple when he saw the boy's smile. "Okay, I won't give him a chance to." Ducking his head, Eiji flexed his arms for a moment before flashing a bright smile over at Momo. "Right! You serve, I want to chase some balls." The boy blinked at him, raising an eyebrow, but Eiji waved his left hand, grinning as he took his place. "Come on," he called. "If you hit me, I won't sue. I promise!"

"I'm not going to hit you," Momo muttered, shooting a glare at Echizen's benign smile. The red-haired teen was crouched on the other side of the net, his knees bent, just a bit. Moving back behind the line, Momo readied his serve.

TBC

--notes--

Hai-hai! The roommates are coming, you surely know who they are, but there are a lot of characters to introduce and I don't want to rush anything. But if it's any consolation, I'm writing faster than usual so I can get to Oishi as quickly as possible. I'm a sap for the golden pair. I just plan to have other pairings in here as well. And ignore any age issues that don't go with the series, it's an alternate universe fic.

PS: I'm still looking for the name of Eiji's sister, if anyone knows that.


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